Snow's truth
by Vaniilasweetie
Summary: Twilight with a fairy tale twist Bella, on the run from the huntsman sent by her stepmother, flees from the palace. After finding a cottage in the woods, she still fears for her safety. The forest is inhabited by magic users. The claim they mean her no harm, but magic has been outlawed for the last eighteen years. Can she trust them to help her break the curse before it's too late?
1. Chapter one: escaping the magic

Chapter one Escaping the magic

My stepmother had always been, for lack of a better word, wicked. Not as Queen Jane's of Keyll had been, but wicked in a magical sort of way. I sensed it on her very first visit to the castle, when she was just a noble women paying her respects to the recently deceased wife of King Charlie.

Of course admitting to sensing magic itself would have been an act of treason. For all use of magic has been outlawed in Tíogar for the last eighteen years. In fact the law was passed the day after I was born. The King's- my father's reason being that magic was too powerful of a weapon to be wielded by just anyone. Many neighboring countries had already been scourged by the _draidora_ for years and when the troubles started reaching our borders my father decided enough was enough. He proclaimed that any draidora, magic users, would be imprisoned and if they repeated the offence, put to death.

Being my father's first and only heir, I am next in line to the throne. Meaning I've been subjected to rigorous training and tutoring to be a capable leader for our people. No lesson thus far had ever left quite as big of an impression on me as the one where I learned that magic had been banned. For it was the first time I disagreed with my father's decision. I didn't understand why the use of magic had to be completely illegal. Surely there were ways to just curb the power of the draidora, to have them on our side? They couldn't all be evil, for they were still humans, containing equal capacities to good and evil.

I couldn't understand why my father didn't see the possibilities of draidora in court, they could help with the crops, with sickness and disease. There were so many ways our countrymen could have benefited if we had tried to accept the draidora when they first came into our lands. Our neighboring countries that had been attacked true, but those countries had attacked the draidora first. Hoping to steal their powers or merely killing them out of fear. Tíogar had done no such thing, so becoming allies could have still been a possibility.

Naturally I couldn't voice my opinions to my father, not only would he become enraged but he wouldn't take my views into account anyway. Our relationship wasn't close enough for that. My father has always been a closed-off man and he never showed any outwardly affection towards me, though I knew he loved me. My mother, the late Queen Renée, always said he just wasn't capable of showing it.

After my mother's death my father became even more distant and I only saw him during formal occasions such as festivals or when foreign dignitaries came to visit. I think the nature of my mother's death was the reason, and because I was her mirror image. People always used to say I looked just like her. Same ivory skin, white as freshly fallen snow. Same wavy, chestnut brown hair and golden brown eyes. The same blood-red lips. Yes it had been painfully obvious that I was my mother's daughter. Which made grieving after her death all the more difficult, for each time I saw myself I was reminded of her.

The way my mother died is still a mystery, one day she had been perfectly healthy singing me my favorite song. And then suddenly she fell, fainted without warning. Of course we employed all the best physicians and alchemists but to no avail. Just three days later, my mother was dead.

Anyhow back to my stepmother, Queen of Tíogar, or as I call her Esme.

It was quite a surprise to me to see my father get remarried. His grief after my mother's death had been so raw, I thought he would never get over it. Many of the people speculated he would die from a broken heart.

So when one day, nine months after Renée's death he announced that he would marry Lady Esme, to say the court was shocked would be an understatement.

In the beginning I tried to be friendly towards her, though I sensed her magic. But all of my efforts were rebuffed. It was obvious she did not want any contact with me at all. I was angered by this and wary of her, though I still feigned politeness at court gatherings.

But after a few weeks I settled down, she was my father's new wife after all and there wasn't anything I could do to change that. Besides she left me well enough alone, and nothing really changed for me.

Until that day.

Six months after my father's marriage I went up to Esme's chambers, the hunter she had commissioned had arrived and was waiting for her in the throne room. I was about to knock on the door when I heard a male voice talking to my stepmother.

"Now Esme, you know she can't be left alive. I _see_ more than you, the daughter knows. The only reason she hasn't accused you is because she has no proof! But one day, one day she will have her proof and then it will be all over for you. For us! But especially for _him_. And you don't want that now do you, daarrrling." The man purred.

'No! Please! But surely she wouldn't, I mean how can she possibly prove anything without ousting herself?" Esme replied, her voice quivering.

"Are you prepared to take that risk? To risk his life in that way?" The man said savagely.

Esme sighed and it took a while before she answered: " If there is no other way," she breathed in deeply, "then it must be done."

I slowly backed away from the door, the truth of what I had just heard not quite sinking in. Esme and this-this man she was conversing with were planning to kill me! For what other daughter could they possibly be referring to?

I knew I needed to escape. I knew I needed to flee before she got the chance to fulfill her evil plans. The only thing I didn't know was how to man could have possibly know I sensed Esme's magic. Who was he? How had he slipped into the palace without anyone knowing?

These thoughts filled my head as I rushed to my chambers, flinging my saddlebag onto my bed. I quickly grabbed the essentials: riding trousers, shirts, hair ribbons, some coins and a short, sharp dagger. Finally I wrote a quick note placing it on my bed. It read:

 _Dear father,_

 _Though it pains me to leave you, I've been having too difficult of a time following mother's death. I fear that court life has only amplified my grief. To properly lament mother's death I feel I have no other choice than to retire to our home in the countryside. I will be back as soon as I am able._

 _Much love,_

 _Your daughter Bella_

Hoping my father's distance would be enough for him not to verify my story, I slipped out to the stables. The stable master wasn't there, luck being on my side for once, and I was able to saddle my horse and ride off without anyone seeing me.

I rode hard and fast, my horse Gray understanding me as always, ran as hard as she could sensing my urgency. I just wished I had taken the time to look back, for if I had I would have seen the hunter tailing after me.


	2. Chapter two: The Huntsman's Honor

**Chapter two The Huntsman's Honor**

It took me about two hours before I reached the entrance of the forest. Under normal circumstances it would only take about an hour or so, maybe even less. But the situation demanded I take the paths and roads unknown to most, for I couldn't risk the chance of any of the townspeople recognizing me, even with my heavy, red cloak wrapped around my face.

Reaching the forest's entryway I got off Gray. My poor horse had been riding for too long and needed a rest. I told myself I would stop by the nearest stream so she could drink and be cared for. It would also be a good way for me to calm my own nerves and think about what to do next. My choice to go to the forest was motivated by the fact that barely anyone entered it, though I didn't know why. Now that I'd reached my goal, I didn't know how to proceed.

What was I to do, on the run from my stepmother and her wicked magic. Would she rest now that I was out of the palace? Was there any way I could one day return?

Sighing, the realization hit me that the only way I could return to the palace, without risking certain death at my stepmother's hand, or as the case may be, powers. Would be to find proof of her evil plans, I would need to ferret out the identity of her accomplice and, to place the final nail in her coffin, I would need to prove she had magic.

A cold chill ran down my spine at the thought of what her punishment would be, if I ever succeeded in my quest. Surely, I could plead with my father that out of love for me and for his former lover, he could spare her life.

The thought of any violence and even more the thought of her being made an example of what would happen if one practiced magic in these lands, thoroughly disgusted me.

For I have plans to abolish the law banning magic, once I am crowned queen. And much healing will have to be done in the hearts and minds of the people if I am ever to bring this to pass.

Walking through the forest, my initial thoughts that it would be dark and dank proved to be wrong. Though it was thick with trees and foliage, plenty of light still seeped in. The sunshine warming my face and Gray's head butting against me ever so often, calmed me down significantly. If only there was shelter right here in the forest. I could stay close to home and keep an eye on the town, if my stepmother wanted to commit any other evil deeds I would know about it and, hopefully, be able to stop it as well.

Maybe, if I disguised myself well, I could go into the town and grab some supplies. Certainly it couldn't be too hard to saw some wood to build a small cottage? It wouldn't have to be well put together we never experienced any extreme weather here in Tíogar –

My thought process was interrupted by the crunching of leaves on the forest floor. Gray and I were walking on a small path, not a leaf in sight, so whatever made the noise wasn't us and it undeniably wasn't the wind either.

I whirled around hoping to see the creature, I hadn't even thought of the animals that lived in this forest. Giant grizzly bears, sly foxes and hungry wolves sprung to mind. But then I saw it, just a few meters away from the path. A distinctly human muddy boot-print, judging by the size a male boot-print.

Summoning all the courage I had left, I called out: "Come out now, if you have any intentions of harming me, at least be brave enough to face me."

The forest was silent, even the birds seemed to stop singing in trepidation. Then finally a rustling of leaves and a man stepped out of the trees. It was the huntsmen my stepmother had commissioned, only now he was brandishing a long, silver sword.

"I thought it was strange, having a huntsmen around while hunting season is long over. Of course that was when I assumed you were hunting animals, not princesses." My voice, thankfully, stayed steady, as though I was bored with the situation at hand.

Instead of becoming enraged, as I expected, the huntsman hung his head down in shame: " Dear Lady Bella, I, myself did not know why the queen had summoned me until just after I arrived. After you had not returned from searching for her, the queen came downstairs herself and led me to her chambers. There she explained that having you around was detrimental to her marriage, she couldn't have you meddle in her affairs any longer and needed you to disappear. Permanently. Upon hearing this I balked, indeed she could not truly mean that I kill you. You're a mere slip of a girl, barely eighteen. I refused her offer, showing my outrage. But then, then she led me to this ornate mirror. Black as night, but for my own reflection staring back at me. But it wasn't me in the mirror, it was a man. He threatened me, telling me if I didn't do his bidding or told a living soul of this he would hurt the one I loved most. An image of my darling Rosalie appeared in the mirror, my soon to be wife. Reluctantly I agreed, my lady. But do not fear for I shall not harm you. You, have my word as a huntsman and a man."

Looking deep into his eyes, I knew he was speaking the truth. His back was hunched, his eyes cast downwards, he looked like a man deeply ashamed of himself.

"What is your name huntsman?" I asked.

"Emmett, milady, Emmett McCarthy." He answered hesitantly, perhaps fearing any repercussions my knowing his name might bring.

"Mister McCarthy, I thank you for your honor and mercy. It is extremely difficult to do what is right when those you love are in danger. I could not live with myself if something happened to your Rosalie because of me. Tell me, did my stepmother ask for any proof of my death?" knowing Esme she surely did, she would not run the risk of me still being alive.

"Yes, milady. She asked me-," Emmett breathed in deeply, "she asked me to bring her back your heart."

Pacing around, I started to think. What else could he return with that would appease Esme and that man in the mirror that I was truly dead: " Huntsman, this is what we shall do. You shall cut out the heart of a pig and present that to the queen and to quell any doubts you shall bring along a vial of my blood and strands of my hair. But be sure, it is still a risk. Esme is an extremely clever woman, while I believe this will be enough to fool her, I cannot be certain."

The huntsman straightened himself: "Lady Bella, it is a risk I am willing to take for our future queen. I shall send a bird to my Rosalie before I return to the palace warning her to hide at the first sign of trouble."

Thanking him, I grabbed the dagger from my saddlebag and cut off a piece of my hair, tying a ribbon around it. Then I went to the thorn bushes nearby and pricked my finger letting it bleed onto my handkerchief until the white had become the same ruby red shade of my blood.

"Here," I handed him the hair and the handkerchief, "take these with you Emmett and please, for your own safety, mention this to no one."

He took my offerings and placed them in his bag, bowed once more and turned to take his leave.

Suddenly overwhelmed by the day's events and by gratitude for the huntsman's honor I reached out and wrapped my arms around.

"Thank you." I whispered, letting him go.

He smiled once more and disappeared into the trees.


End file.
